Ghostly
by Pokere
Summary: Long ago, Allen meets a ghost in a graveyard. The ghost of the 14th. Also known as Allen's adventures with a crazy ghost adoptive uncle on his side and the chaos Neah loves to sow.


Allen first saw the ghost soon after Mana was dead and buried.

He just blinked and they were there.

The ghost stood next to the grave, sort of hazy and hard to see. He nearly choked on his tears when he saw them. "Mana?" He regretted the words as soon as he said them.

The ghost was too young, with shorter hair and lacking Mana's scruffy beard. They were also dressed much nicer, like some sort of nobel poff. And there was this feeling about them, something that was different than Mana. The ghost stared back at him and he thought he saw horror in those eyes.

" _This is not how it works._ " The ghost choked out. "Goddammit, _what did you do._ "

Allen felt the first stirring of emotion that wasn't sadness in his chest since Mana's death.

It was anger.

"I didn't do anything asshole, if anything, you probably did something stupid." He threw back. The horrified look vanished and the ghost glared, folding their arms.

"How could I do anything asleep? It doesn't make sense, why am I a ghost?" they replied, voice growing louder and louder. Allen hissed like an angry cat. How dare this ghost do this by Mana's grave? How dare he?

"Shut up." Allen snapped, stomping forward. He pressed himself against the gravestone, shivering at the chill. Stupid ghost, he'd just ignore them then.

Not that it was easy with the ghost's annoying whispers. "Something like Bondom? But I can't touch -o sense." Allen hissed. If he threw something at their head, would it knock out the ghost or exorcise them?

The ghost finally went quiet. Reflexively, Allen hunched over, bracing for a smack and glanced back. The ghost was staring at him intensely.

No not at him, past him. He was looking at the gravestone. "Mana died?" They asked.

Allen sniffled. "Yeah." Did he know Mana? The old clown had never mentioned a ghost. Especially one that could be his younger brother.

The ghost look taken aback. "Oh. Oh." They said. A pause. "I'm sorry."

Was there sadness there? For a second, Allen could have sworn the ghost was blinking away tears.

"For what?" Allen snapped. The ghost stiffened.

"It's called being polite." Allen twisted around to glare at the ghost before looking back. "How'd he die?"

"Got hit." Allen sniffled again. "I was dumb. And he died."

"All humans die. It's in their nature." The ghost said with an air of nonchalance. Allen clenched his fist, whipping around to glare at the ghost.

"He shouldn't have died! It's all my fault." His voice cracked. "I'd do anything to bring him back!"

Anything.

The ghost reached for him, looking truly alarmed now."Don't say that." The ghost hissed. "Shut up, calm down. He'll hear you."

"You shut up!" Allen yelled. "Shut up. Shut up. GO AWAY!"

The ghost seemed to waver before vanishing completely, still looking alarmed. Allen collapsed against the gravestone, choking on his tears. The graveyard was empty now. Did he imagine it?

And then suddenly the Earl had arrived and Allen had bigger things on his plate to deal with then some rude ghost.

* * *

Allen actually forgot about the ghost for a few months. By then, they were inside some ancient Egyptian tomb. (More like Cross punting him inside to test for traps. There were traps. They were painful.)

They had joined a caravan of scientists (and a few family members) looking for ancient tombs to excavate. Kinda creepy and they didn't take too kindly to being called grave robbers. Allen was a bit freaked out but the scientists weren't too bad. Never even noticed his gloved arm.

Definitely better than dock work

He had been eyeing the weird symbol pictures things on the wall, idly tugging beetles out of his hair. All in all, an enjoyable breather.

Cross wasn't even there, his rude master had stayed outside. Apparently to 'monitor the situation'. He had a sneaking suspicion that it had more to do with one of the scientists having a pretty daughter.

"Do you have any interest in the old Egyptian language boy?" One of the men said, peering at him. Allen snapped to attention, glancing back at him.

"No." He admitted. "What does it say?

The scientist rubbed his chin. "Well we don't actually know." Allen nearly face palmed. How ridiculous was that? They couldn't even bloody read the language? What was the point?

"But we can guess!" The scientist said, still cheerful. "We're pretty sure that part corresponds with the Egyptian Book of the Dead and their belief in spirits."

Allen looked at the scientist skeptically.

"Spirits huh." His mind flashed back to a cold graveyard. And an annoying ghost.

It wasn't until later after they were back to civilization and staying at a seedy pub that he actually considered it. Maybe the ghost was important of something.

"Ghost?" Allen said, feeling foolish. The room stayed empty, Cross having long gone to a brothel or something. "Mr. Ghost?"

"Annoying bastard who showed up at Mana's grave?" Nothing.

Allen huffed in frustration, flopping back on the bed. This was stupid. The ghost wasn't doing anything.

"I prefer Neah."

Allen shrieked, diving off the bed. His boot caught in the blanket and he succeeded in firmly entangling himself. Cursing, he poked his head out and glared up at the ghost.

They didn't change except for that expression of mild amusement on their face. "Fucking hell?" Allen said. The ghost rolled their eyes, folding their arms as they watch Allen attempt to fight the blanket.

"My name is Neah Campbell." The ghost said. Allen snarled, ripping the blanket off his legs.

"Why should I care." He snapped, ignoring the suspiciously Mana like voice chiding his manners. Neah rocked back on their heels.

"Really? You finally wake me up again just to curse at me and insult my name? You called, I answered." Neah said. He glanced around. "What brings you here?"

"Master chose it." Allen answered. Guess he had to listen to Mana. "I'm sorry."

"Not forgiven." Neah drawled. Allen clenched his fists, glaring.

"Why not? I said sorry!" Allen snapped.

"I prefer to never forgive and never forget. It has worked out phenomenally for me so far." Neah said. Allen snorted.

"Yeah right. You're dead." Neah flinched. Allen felt a pang of guilt. Obviously that had hit hard. He shoved it down ruthlessly. Neah had been rude to him too and they had insulted Mana.

"An unforeseen occurrence." Neah said softly. "And no. I'm not truly dead."

"What else can you be? If it looks like a duck and quacks like one, it's probably a duck." Allen said. Neah smiled smugly.

"What about geese and swans?" Neah said. Allen growled, throwing his blanket back onto the bed.

"Screw off, I don't want to talk anymore." Allen snapped. "Go away."

The heaviness in the air vanished and when he looked back, it was like Neah had never been there at all. Allen got in bed, pulled the covers over his head, and tried to sleep.

He had work in the morning after all.

Or at least he slept until Cross showed up in the wee hours of morning and ended up knocking him off the bed with an 'accidental kick'.

Then he just stared at the wall and plotted murder.

* * *

"If you feeling so confident, deal with those Akuma."

Allen's mouth fell open as he watched the Akuma. There was so many, too many, and he didn't have a weapon.

Master Cross wanted him to die.

"How? Wha- How?" Allen spluttered. The Akuma had noticed him now and slowly the guns were angling towards him.

"You have an anti Akuma weapon in that arm of yours. Use it." Master Cross said. Allen would bet a lot the bastard wasn't even watching. He should've ran away the first chance he got.

"How?" Allen said, voice rising into a screech. Cross didn't answer and know he heard the Akuma cannons creak.

The souls above were screaming.

 _I don't want to die_. Allen thought numbly. And then the guns fired.

 _Help._

Then something hit him, sending him tumbling to the side, and then he was being lifted and jolted around.

Allen found his face buried into a grayish tan coat. Looks like someone wanted him alive after all.

But why would Cross save him instead of forcing him to dodge? Not his master's style.

Allen pulled his face away, looking up. For a second, his heart nearly stopped beating. Then he took in the shorter hair and subtle offness and it resumed. "Oh it's you."

Neah looked irritated. "Oh it's you? I just saved you. You're welcome."

"If it means seeing your face longer, I'll pass." Allen said, feeling morbidly cheery. Neah looked like he dearly wanted to strangle Allen. "I thought you were a ghost though."

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I am most certainly not a ghost." Neah snapped, turning back. "Do you have a death wish?"

Allen scanned the area, eyes lingering on the shattered skeletons of the Akuma. "Don't think so." He mumbled.

"Then why exactly were you facing down Akuma without your Innocence activated?" Neah said.

"Master Cross threw me to the wolves." Allen said. Neah's grip tightened slightly before relaxing. Sighing, the man readjusted the child in his arms before zeroing in on Cross.

"Huh. I thought he would have died or hid himself away again." Neah commented.

Allen just wanted to have Cross' face engraved in his memory for the rest of his life. Work of art by his standard.

Cross looked like he had been smacked upside the head with a fish. Mouth slightly open, eyes wide.

His master was caught off guard for the first time ever.

"You're supposed to be dead." Cross said. "And your memories hidden away until you took over."

"Surprise." Neah said, grinning. Allen craned his head to look back up at Neah.

"I knew you were a ghost! Can you walk through walls?" Allen said. Neah snorted, some of the frustration easing out of his face.

"Nope. I am not Joyd." Neah said, strolling forward towards Cross. Allen turned the name over and over in his head. So Joyd could walk through walls? Who was Joyd?

The name seemed oddly familiar.

Eh, he probably heard it traveling around with Mana.

Cross recovered quickly and that surprised look was gone in a second. Allen felt vaguely disappointed. "We need to get you both out of sight." He said. "Our room isn't far."

"You don't see me arguing." Neah said. Cross turned and strode away. Neah jogged after him, bouncing Allen around slightly.

Allen flushed. "You don't have to carry me like a baby." He said.

Neah looked down. "We need to get out of sight as fast as possible. I'd hate for you to fall behind too much."

"I'm not slow!"

"Of course you are not, you are just very little."

"I AM NOT LITTLE."

A golden flicker and Timcanpy was pressing against Neah's head with a fanged grin. Neah smiled at the golem. "It's good to see you friend. I'm glad Cross took good care of you."

"Hey bastard, why wasn't I greeted nicely." Cross said.

Neah shifted to semi glare at him. "Because you annoy me. And Timcanpy is a sweetheart."

Neah chuckled, looking almost actually happy by now. Not the weird fake or smug happiness Allen saw before.

They made it to their room in almost record time. Cross paced, pulling out various cases and affixing pieces of paper to the walls and doors. "The privacy shields should hold. Let's hope no Akuma saw you and reported back."

Neah unceremoniously dropped Allen on the bed. "I don't feel any in the area. But I doubt I'm at my best."

Absentmindedly, Neah rubbed Timcanpy on the head. Allen shook his head. That was oddly nice behavior for the otherwise annoying ghost.

Allen grumbled, rolling over on his stomach.

Cross hissed, settling back slightly. "This screws up a lot. What are you by the way?"

Allen perked up. He wanted to know that too.

"As far as I can tell? I can appear but if Allen doesn't want me around, I go back into the mind. I'm unsure of the specifics. I haven't had time to examine myself." Neah said.

"How do I know you're him." Cross said, hand dropping to his hip. Neah rocked back on his heels.

"Ooh fun. Let's start off with a doozy. Remember when Al-a friend tried to introduce himself to you and you were so drunk you thought he had stolen your chair?" Neah said. He looked like he was enjoying this.

Cross huffed. "He did steal my chair."

"No he didn't, you were sitting on it. My brother and I had to tie you to a pillar." Neah said.

"Fine. I believe you." Pause. "Do you think you can finish what you started?"

"Doubtful. I had a hard enough time the first go around and I am not fully awake. And?" Neah looked pensive. "I should test this."

He spun around and in a second had the window unlatched. Then he was gone.

Cross cursed, moving forward to check the window. Allen sat up. Did Neah just run away?

And the hell were they talking about earlier?

The air twisted and Neah slowly faded into view, sitting on the window sill. "It looks like I'm unable to go beyond a mile from Allen." He waved his hand, frowning at it in displeasure. "And my power seems locked down."

"Fuck." Cross said, leaning against the wall. "Any ideas on how to go forward from here."

Neah frowned. "None really. Unless we can find a trigger, I'm effectively powerless against the Earl. And I can't go undercover and hole up till I Awaken without Allen staying nearby."

"I say we burn the bridge when we come from it." Cross announced. Allen sighed, wriggling under the covers.

"I'm going to sleep. Night." He said, rolling over to face the wall. Screw it, he could understand half of what they were talking about and they seemed to have completely forgotten he existed.

"Good night." Neah said.

* * *

Allen choked, staring at the Akuma skeleton.

That had been Narain. His best friend. His best friend who became an Akuma that he had to kill.

"I- I hope you find peace." Allen said.

A warm hand pressed against his back. "I'm sure he will." Neah said. Allen looked up at him.

Neah had refused to change his hair or let go off his coat. After a pitched battle between Cross and him, he consented to a thin tan cloth mask covering half of his face up to the nose with a slit for his mouth.

"Shut up." Allen mumbled. Hot wetness streaked down his face. He scrubbed roughly at it with his non Innocence hand. "You don't know what it's like."

Then there was a hand in his hair and it tugged painfully, forcing him to look up.

Neah was pissed. His face was stony, like he'd already planned out the murder. And how to hide the body. Then how to pin it on Cross.

"I do know." Neah loomed over him. "You want to know why? Because when I was seventeen, I slaughtered most of my brothers and sisters. And then was killed and devoured by my own twin brother."

Neah leaned in close. "So don't ever presume to think I have not taken the life of a loved one."

Allen froze, breath coming in short bursts. "Why?"

The angry look melted away. "I don't know anymore nephew." Neah said. Allen choked on a hysterical giggle.

"I'm not your nephew cat bastard."

Neah looked vaguely affronted. "Cat bastard?"

"Yeah, you're an arrogant arse. Just like a cat." Allen said. He was giggling now, a semi hysterical noise.

Did he just get adopted by an apparently murderous ghost?

"Come on you dramatic assholes. We have places to be." Cross growled. Neah hissed, standing up straight.

"I suppose we should be going." Neah said, a fake smile sliding onto his face. Allen took a deep breath and stood.

"Does it ever get better?" Allen asked.

Neah stopped. "It gets easier to forget."

* * *

Neah put his hands in his pockets, peering up to the ominous building of the Black Order. "You know, I'm impressed. They didn't have anything nearly as good as is when I was still alive."

"Shut up." Allen grumbled. He kicked the wall and sighed. "Looks like we have to climb up."

"You do!" Neah said cheerfully. "You know, we don't have to do this. We can go on vacation, travel a bit, see the world."

"Shut up Cat uncle. I want to be an Exorcist."

"If you say so." Neah said. "Good luck."

Allen looked at him sideways. "You're not going? Nearest town is definitely outside of our range." It had expanded to ten miles but it still was much too short.

At least in his honest opinion.

"Oh I meant I'm not climbing. Good luck, I'll see you at the top." Neah said, before fading away. Allen grumbled, arm shifting forms.

Timcanpy settled on his head. "Come on, not you too!" Allen grumbled good naturedly. "I think Neah spoils you too much.

* * *

 **First foray into -man! I was inspired by a tumblr post. I don't own -man. Please Review/Favorite/Follow!**


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